I have read the causes and control of slime algae apparently known as
cyanobacteria. I seem to have developed a case of it. I'd like help
sorting this out.

I've had the planted aquarium now for about 1 year....
I started with about 1" soil 1/4" sand and 1/2" small gravel. 55gal,
30W 6500K (low light) 12-13hrs a day. 76F 7.2pH
15 tropical fish (neons, swordtails ect. but no algae eaters).
A Cory and a Pleco, Three very nice Amazon Sword plants and Hornwort
that seems to have stopped growing for some time. I change about 25%
water every three weeks by vacuuming. I use flake food and occasional
frozen blood worms and well water through a softener.

Textbook (I think) right?

This has been the exact condition of my tank until one month ago when I
decided to experiment a little. I hoped to encourage the Hornworts'
growth and maybe get some runners from the Sword plants.

I broke up 2 multivitamins and used them as soil fertilizers under the
plants. I used a slight amount of vinegar (instead of chemicals) to
bring the pH to 7.0 I replaced the carbon in the filter with peat
granules one filter at a time a week apart to help the pH, and reduce
nutrient leaching from the carbon. Oh, added a couple extra fish and
started dropping a tiny amount of sinking food in the tank for my Cory


What in this combination has rewarded me with slime algae and white
fuzzy stuff? I've never had any of this before. The fuzzy stuff is
supposedly from decayed material... from where? The slime algae is
supposedly from a nutrient imbalance involving too many phosphates. How
in the world did I do that? I thought I reduced Phosphates by removing
the carbon and stopped the "pH 7.0" chemical.

HELP!? My poor fish don't seem to like the green or white stuff.
Thanks,
Matt